


Just another Love Story or how Draco Malfoy lost his Heart

by Flickaa_T



Series: Just Another Love Story [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Conflict, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-26
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-05-16 09:49:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 17,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5824012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flickaa_T/pseuds/Flickaa_T
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story of how Draco Malfoy fell in love with a halfblood girl from Gryffindor whose best friends are Harry, Hermione and Ron.<br/>Matches the movies.</p>
<p>It isn't really a whole story. Just sort of a collection of one-shots that are sorted chronically and all happen in the same universe. So imagine this happens parallel to the movies or the books.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inspired by several other fanfictions and my own crazy mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first fanfiction I ever wrote. I'm sorry for any language mistakes (I am from Germany.)  
> I hope you guys like it!

When someone had told me that I would be marrying Draco Malfoy when I am only 19, I propably had declared them insane. But here am I. In my wedding dress. Waiting for my dad to fetch me and lead me down the aisle to the altar where said only son and child of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy is waiting for me with the brightest grin I’ve ever seen on his face. I surely had declared them insane with no doubts.

But I think I should start elsewhere. At the beginning.  
When I was six, my mother died. Car accident with hit-and-run driving. I was the only witness. She died in my arms and I didn’t understand what happened, because I was only six. I will not go any further at this point of my story, because I barely know you and it’s hard for me to talk about this. Even after 13 years.  
My mother was a pureblood witch of the family Prewett. So she was Molly Weasley’s sister. Therefore Molly is my aunt. She watches over me and I am glad to have her ( _and the rest of the Weasleys of course_ ) in my life. They are like my second family. I even have the same red hair as they have and as my mother had.

Then there’s my own family. My brother Arejay who is five years older than me, my dad Jegor who is a muggle from Russia ( _well, my grandfather was American, but went to Russia for my grandmother who was born an raised in Russia_ ), my stepmother Nathalie and me, Rey which is actually my second name, but I don’t like my first name and that’s why everyone calls me Rey. So just call me Rey. We are the Hales. I am a so-called Halfblood.

My dad married Nathalie seven years after my mom’s death. I am happy for him that he managed to move on even if this needed so much time. It’s even harder for me than it was for him. Nathalie is a wondeful woman. She tries to replace our mother with all her power and if we need her, she is there for us. Even though she knows we will never be able to love her and accept her as our mother. I think others don’t have that much luck with their step _douchebags_.

So in the summer holidays Arejay ( _until he graduated his seventh year at Hogwarts_ ) and I live our _almost-normal-muggle-life_ and when we return back to Hogwarts, we are wizards again. Christmas isn’t that normal in our family. My mom died the day after Christmas Eve so it’s a very sad festivity for us, but somehow we manage it and it always brings us closer. As a family.

My story will not start in the first year of Hogwarts. I just want to mention that I was sorted in Gryffindor and my best friends are Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley ( _who surely is my cousin, too_ ) and Hermione Granger. So I am the fourth wheel on the car, the missing piece of the puzzle.  
I hope you know what happened in the first three years, because I will not repeat it. It’s not important for my story, because I hated Draco Malfoy just like my friends.

I think that’s enough from me. I don’t want to bore you.  
Well, here comes the story of how love grows out of hate and how Draco Malfoy falls for a _halfblood Gryffindor_.


	2. Thanks McGonagall

It was our fourth year at Hogwarts. Shortly before the Yule Ball. I have to say I was not nervous, because I was going to go to the ball with Neville. As friends. To be honest I agreed to go with him out of compassion, because I like him as a friend and didn’t want to hurt him. I feel sorry for him even though I know I shouldn’t, because the problem isn’t Neville himself, but all the superficial girls around Hogwarts. Neville is a great person.

I was on my way to Transfiguration class when it happened. I really think maybe this wouldn’t have happened if I was one minute later or so. It must’ve been destiny. So I was walking down the aisle heading to the classroom. I was early for the lesson so I thought I could use the time and sit down at my place and prepare for the lesson.

I noticed a few Slytherins standing in front of the classroom and talking, but I ignored them and stepped into the room. Suddenly I stumbled over something and fell head over feet on the ground. „Watch your step, halfblood!“ I didn’t have to turn around to know to whom the voice belonged to. He surely was the reason for my stumbling. „Fuck off, Malfoy.“, I mumbled. „Would you mind repeating that? I don’t speak _blood-traitor_ “, he said accompanied by laughter.

That was enough for me. I thought it was time that somebody stood up against him. „Fuck off, Malfoy!“, I repeated louder. „Take your shitty attitude and your shitty friends and get out of my way! Tell me, are you really this weak?! Do you really have to bully people who are weaker than you in front of your friends just to show them how cool you are?! I thought you were _the great Draco Malfoy_ who looks down to everyone?! Oh, no. I think I’ve mistaken you for somebody else. You are just a little dick whose friends are dumb like shit and prefer status over character!“ Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to say those things to him, but now there was no turning back.

Malfoy stepped in front of me. I could feel the heat of his body and his warm breath ( _it smelled like peppermint_ ) in my face as I looked up to him ( _for my bad luck I am only 5 feet and 2 inches tall, therefore I don’t seem to be **that** threatening_ ). I saw the anger in his silver eyes. Apparently I hit a sore point. He clenched his fists. I could practically feel the tautness in his body.

It was my fault. You don’t blame Draco Malfoy in public without consequences. Nevertheless I stayed at my point and stared back at him without blinking. It wasn’t the time to show weakness at this point. He whipped out his wand and pointed it at me. Suddenly Professor McGonagall stood behind Malfoy. „Enough, Mister Malfoy, Miss Hale! You two come to me after class!“ I cannot say how long she stood there and how much of the dispute she heard.

It seemed like the time was slinking in class. All I could think of was what McGonagall was going to consider as a good punishment for us. All I knew was that some detention together with Draco Malfoy was the last thing I needed.

After class Malfoy and I went in front of the classroom to Professor McGonagall’s desk as commanded us. She looked at us as we were standing in front of her and still seemed to think about a punishment. She sighed. „I have enough of this war between you two. I don’t know what feud it is between you, but I will no longer tolerate it. You two will settle your dispute and as first step into peace you two will go to the Yule Ball together.“ We both stared at her in disbelief. Eyes wide. Mouths shut. „Are you serious?“ Malfoy was the first to say something. Disbelief and anger in his voice. „I am going with Neville Longbottom already.“, I tried to convince her, but unsuccessful. „You two go together. That is my last word. And I will watch whether you sit or dance together at the ball.“ And with that the discussion was finished.


	3. Yule Ball

So the time went by and then there was the day of the Yule Ball. The day of my punishment. The day that might have changed my future.

Neville had understood why I couldn’t be his date at the ball. He went with Ginny, Ron’s little sister, instead.

I didn’t really think much about what to wear. I put on my favourite dress. A tight and short black dress. Furthermore I wore my beloved leather jacket ( _as nearly everyday_ ), tights with panda-overknee-print and sneakers, because I was only 14 and thought it was exaggerated to wear high heels. I couldn’t walk in them anyways.

I have to admit that I got a little nervous when I headed towards the stairway and downstairs to the Great Hall. Malfoy waited for me in front of the Great Hall. He wore a black smoking. He smirked as he spotted me and I swear I could see a bit of impression in his look. „So what do you like to do at first, halfblood?“, he asked with a smirk in the corner of his mouth. I couldn’t believe that _Draco Malfoy_ was joking with _me_. „Draco, I suggest an armistice for this evening. We both don’t do this vonluntarily so let us make the best out of it.“, I said and looked in his eyes pleading. His expression went from a stupid smirk back to earnestness. „Deal?“, I asked and offered my hand to him. He shook my hand and nodded. „Deal.“, he agreed before he offered his arm to me and we headed into the Great Hall that was turned into a ballroom with perfectly fitting decoration.

It didn’t take the Yule Ball long to start. The four champions of the Triwizard Tournament opened the ball with a tradiotional opening dance. Malfoy and I took a seat at a table with Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson, two of Draco’s friends from the Slytherin house. I felt a little bit uneasy with them and the fact that Pansy watched me with evil eyes continously didn’t help with that. I think Draco noticed my struggle, because he gave his whole attention to me and asked me questions I never expected from him.

„So, Rey, do you have a boyfriend or so?“, he asked. I stared at him not sure how to interpret the fact that he asked such a question, but then I decided to take it as small talk and answer it truthfully. „No. I didn’t even have a real date until now.“, I said. „Really? You never had a date?“, Draco asked in disbelief and even Blaise shared his attetion now. I couldn’t do different than laugh as the two boys stared at me with big eyes. „I swear. At home I have my older brother and my father who both treat me like a raw egg and try to _protect_ me and here the guys are just buddies to me, I think.“, I explained my situation. „Besides I am only fourteen, like you.“, I added. „Almost fiveteen.“, Blaise commented. „That sounds like you will never get your first date until someone helps you with that. So here I offer my services to you, _little Lady_.“, Malfoy whispered so that only I could hear him. I stared at him and lifted one eyebrow. „So I am your first real date now that we have both agreed to an armistice for tonight. You don’t have to take it seriously. It’s just for the experience.“, he explained still whispering. I just nodded and smiled happy about his niceness this evening.

„Would you like to dance, Rey?“, Draco asked after a while of small talk with the other Slytherins. „Hm?“ I didn’t really listen to them, because I yearningly watched my friends dancing and having fun. Even if Draco did his best to be nice I’d rather be with my friends or at least some Gryffindors. „I asked if you would like to dance?“, Draco repeated. „With you?“, I asked. „That’s the condition. Big sister is watching us.“, he said and pointed at Professor McGonagall. „So?“, he asked again and showed that stupid smirk again. „I’d love to.“, I agreed, relieved that I could get away from the other Slytherins. Draco stood up and led me to the middle of the dancefloor. Right in the moment the music switched and a slow song started what caused that a few other couples went to the dancefloor. _Great_ , I thought, _slow dancing with your biggest enemy was the only thing you needed right now_.

Draco shrugged and grapped my waist. Slowly he started to move. „I’m not really good at dancing.“, I whispered nervously. „Let me show you. Just adapt to my movements.“, he answered.

After a few minutes I noticed skeptical looks from my friends and classmates. I felt Pansy’s hateful glances in my back. I think Draco noticed them too, because he pulled me closer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to concentrate on not to step on his foot which was more difficult than thought. I never was so close to him until then. It was an awkward feeling to be pressed against his body. He was so close that I could smell his warm breath ( _peppermint_...).

Just in time the music switched back to something faster. „Do you want to sit down, again and I’ll get us something to drink?“, Draco asked still holding me close, but not moving anymore. I nodded. „I think McGonagall will be satisfied.“, I said and smiled. He smiled back and led me back to our table. Blaise and Pansy were gone. „Seems like we have a little private time.“, Draco said and winked. „I’ll be right back“, he said and dissappeared in the crowd of students to get us something to drink at the bar. „You know he will never love _somoene like you_.“ Suddenly Pansy Parkinson was back from wherever she had been. She took a seat at the table again. „A Gryffindor and moreover a _halfblood_ “, she said with contempt in her voice. I rolled my eyes. „Well, let me tell you something. I don’t want him to love me. I don’t even like him.“ „He would’ve never taken you here if he weren’t forced to do so.“, she said angrily. „That might be true, but Rey is still a better accompaniment than you would’ve been.“, Draco was back with our drinks. „How about annoying someone else somewhere else, Pansy?“, Draco added and made clear that he wasn’t interested in her companionship. Pansy flashed me an angry glare and stomped away. „Thanks, Draco. You didn’t have to lie to protect me in front of your friends.“ „It wasn’t a lie. She is annoying. Besides I am really enjoying the evening with you. I had never thought so.“, he said and smiled. I just smiled back.

We spent the rest of the evening with talking and joking together and I have to admit that I really enjoyed the evening, too. Draco insisted to accompany me to the Gryffindor common room. He said that this was part of the _first-date-thing_ and I just shrugged and said something like he could do whatever he wanted to. 

„I have to admit that you are not as bad as I thought the past 3 and a half years.“, I said and smiled when we arrived at the common room. „And I think I am still better accompaniment than Longbottom.“, he said and smirked ( _this stupid smirk_...). I punched him slightly in the arm and smirked back. „And I have to say that you are not that bad either.“, he said quietly and looked deeply into my eyes. I had never seen such a soft expression on his face neither in his eyes. „And..uhm..you..you look..uhm..beautiful tonight.“, he added and I think I could see a little blush on his cheeks. „Draco Malfoy, are you trying to compliment me?“ Actually I was delighted about what I heard.

Suddenly he bend down and pressed his lips against mine. I was so shocked I couldn’t do different than reciprocate the kiss. The kiss was short. Too short for my taste. When I opened my eyes I saw that stupid teasing smirk on his face again. „There you have your real first date. That was the deal, right?“, he said still smirking. I noticed that I was still staring at him in shock so I tried to relax and smirked back. „Draco Malfoy, I offer you a permanent armistice. No bullying and no fighting anymore. From now on. We don’t have to be friends, but we don’t have to be enemies either.“, I said offering my hand to him once again this evening. „Deal.“, he said and shook my hand once again. „Goodnight, _little_ _Lady_.“, he smirked and made his way downstairs. „Draco?“, I called out and he turned around looking at me with the brightest smile. „Thank you.“, I said and he just winked and headed to his dorm.


	4. Regretting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is just a filler. I hope you enjoy the story though!

I went into the Gryffindor common room happy about the course of the evening and our deal. „Did you have fun with Malfoy?“, Harry asked and watched me teasingly. He and Ron were sitting in the common room in front of the fireplace relaxing. We were alone. „So you and Malfoy, huh? Your dance looked really intimate, almost romantic.“, Ron said teasingly as well. No doubt the two boys were making fun of me. „Stop joking like that, you douchebags! You know I was forced to go with Malfoy to the Yule Ball and McGonagall was watching us all the time.“ I justified myself and plopped on the couch next to Harry. „You don’t have to justify yourself, _halfblood_.“, Harry joked and smirked and I punched him on his arm. „Ouch! Okay, okay. We don’t want to be beaten up by the _little redhead_.“, Harry said and both started to giggle.

„Okay, _girls_ , where’s Hermione?“, I teased back. „Still on the ball with Victor Krum.“, Ron said with a bitter expression on his face. „Not interesting. Tell us, how was your evening, Rey?“, Harry changed the topic again and this time he was serious. „Uugh..it was not that bad even if I felt uneasy between all that Slytherins, but Malfoy and I made a deal to not fight this evening and so it was okay. I think he is not that bad at all. He can be really nice _if_ he wants.“ „Yes, if he wants.“, Ron commented.

„You looked very happy when you came in here indeed. Is there a special reason you don’t want to tell us?“, Harry asked further. „Oh, I can’t believe I kissed him!“, I muttered. The two boys stared at me with wide eyes. „Oh, no. It’s not like you think! He took the first step and it was somehow part of the deal. There’s nothing between us, I swear. I think I will regret it tommorow morning at the latest.“, I explained and stood up. „Alright guys, I am going to bed now. I am really tired. Greetings to Hermione.“, I said and waved to Harry and Ron as I headed to my dorm.

Although I was very tired I couldn’t sleep directly. My mind was full of thoughts. Thoughts of the evening and of what happened. Thoughts of Draco. The heat of his body, his warm breath ( _peppermint.._.), his soft lips. Incredulous I banned these thoughts out of my mind. There was no way of Draco Malfoy and Rey Hale. _But he really isn’t that bad.._


	5. Betrayal?

In our fifth year at Hogwarts things got serious. Pretty much at the beginning of the school year I was late for potions class and I knew Professor Snape wouldn’t be amused. So I ran on my way to the dungeons carrying a lot of things I needed for the lesson. Clumsy as I am I stumbled on my way down the stairs. I fell. Inwardly I prepared for hitting the ground, but suddenly there was a pair of arms. Strong arms.

I opened my eyes and found myself in Draco Malfoy’s arms. Apparently he had catched me so I wouldn’t fall on the hard floor. My eyes widened and I set myself free from him as fast as I could. „Watch your step, _halfblood_.“, he said, but the softness in his eyes revealed his show. Of course his Slytherin companions giggled, but I knew that he didn’t mean that in this way. „Don’t want to make _pug-face_ jealous, don’t you?“, I said with a teasing smirk and pointed at Pansy Parkinson. Draco’s mouth twitched into a grin.

Suddenly I found myself pinned against the wall by an angry Pansy Parkinson. She was way taller than me so that I couldn’t do much against her strong grip. „Don’t you dare blaming me in front of my friends, you little _blood-traitor-slut_!“, she hissed. She reached back to punch me into my face, but she didn’t even got the chance to hurt me.

Draco grapped her at the collar of her blouse and tossed her on the floor. „Leave her alone, Pansy!“, he shouted angrily. Pansy stared up to him in fear and disbelief. „What’s wrong with you, Draco?! Fell for a _filthy halfblood_?!“, she shrieked. I couldn’t believe what just had happened.

„Fuck off, Parkinson. You annoying little piece of shit.“, Draco said in a dangerous tone. „Come on, Rey. I’ll be your potions partner for today.“, he said in my direction and then grapped my wrist and dragged me into the classroom leaving the other Slytherins alone with their mouths open.


	6. A New Beginning

In Autumn of our fifth year at Hogwarts happened something I never ever would have thought of neither would have dreamed of. The armistice between Draco Malfoy and me still lasted since the Yule Ball, but his feud with my friends unfortunately lasted, too.

I sat in the Great Hall with Harry, Ron and Hermione when Malfoy and his dumb as shit entourage of Crabbe and Goyle entered. I hoped they would just ignore us, but _of course_ they had to jibe against my friends. „What’s up, Potter, the boy who lies?“, Malfoy said with an evil tone. „So the Dark Lord is back and nobody believes you? Seems like you have to cry at mummy’s shoulder. Oh, right! You don’t have a mother, right?“, Draco added with an evil grin and Crabbe and Goyle giggled like little girls.

That strucked me like a lightning in the heart. I know he didn’t say that to me, but he knew that I don’t have a mother anymore, too. Allusions on this topic still hurt me so much, because the death of my mother was a traumatizing experience for me and the pain still runs deep. Furthermore I think this topic is taboo for jokes.

„Malfoy, you shitty asshole! Take that back!“, I shouted, suddenly standing. I felt tears burning in my eyes. „You don’t know the feeling of loosing a beloved person so don’t you dare making jokes of it!“, I shouted and ran out of the Great Hall, because I couldn’t fight the urge to cry anymore. I wanted to run as far away from Draco as possible, but I couldn’t. I collapsed on the stairway to the Gryffindor common room and cried and sobbed hoping nobody would find me like this. So weak. I didn’t even know why my reaction about something that Draco Malfoy had said was this hard.

After a few minutes that felt like hours somebody sat down next to me. I didn’t dare to look up. I didn’t want to find out in front of whom I was blaming myself. I felt strong arms wrapped around me. The person pressed me against their chest. I couldn’t resist to sob. The person caressed my back in order to calm me. I could feel their warm breath. Smell it. _Peppermint_...

I didn’t dare to move. What was wrong with Draco? Why did he do something like this? „I am sorry, Rey.“, he whispered. „I forgot about your past. I shouldn’t have said that even if it was meant to Potter.“ Finally I looked up and stared at him in surprise. I never heard an apology from Draco Malfoy ever before. „What do you want, Malfoy?“, I asked skeptical. „Why did you follow me? And why do you apologize to me? You never apologize to anybody and we’re not even friends, right?“  
„Please, don’t call me Malfoy. I don’t like it when someone like you calls me by my last name.“ I set myself free from his hug and looked into his eyes. I was confused.  
„ _Someone like me_?“, I asked further.

As an answer Draco took my head in his hands and pressed his lips against mine. He did it again. Kissed me. But this time the kiss was long, passionate. My heart skipped a beat. It was like a firework behind my inner eye. At this point I knew exactly why my reaction had been this strong. _I was in love with Draco Malfoy._

We parted, gasping for air. „Wait until your father hears about that.“, I teased him and smirked. He just smirked back and pressed his lips aigainst mine again. He gently licked my lips asking for entrance. I granted him. His hands moved from my cheeks to my waist so that he could deepen the kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and slid my fingers into his platinum hair. It was soft and felt gorgeous between my fingers. I absorbed his scent. Internalized his soft lips, his lean muscles pressed against my body.

Draco was the first to part this time leaving the two of us gasping for air again. „I wished this to happen since after the Yule Ball.“, he whispered. „I definitely fell in love with you.“, he added after a deep breath and looked into my eyes. His soft expression let my heart melt. Then His face went back to pure earnestness. „But we have to keep this relationship as a secret.“, he said frowning. „At least for now.“


	7. The Two Sides Of Draco Malfoy

We were still in the fifth grade. The Time ran by. It was spring already and Draco and we still managed it somehow to keep our relationship as a secret. Nobody knew about it not even my best friends. Besides they would have killed me for making out with _our enemy_.

Somehow Draco managed it to smuggle me into his dorm several times ( _he_ _was_ _one_ _of_ _the_ _lucky_ _students_ _to_ _have_ _a_ _private_ _dormitory_ _thanks_ _to_ _his_ _father_ ). We had to be careful. Our time together in Draco’s dorm was the only time we had. The only time we could be just us and didn’t have to watch out every step. Outside of his dorm we had to pretend we didn’t like each other. Even hated each other.

I didn’t understand why this was so important for him. He said he wants to protect me which confused me even more, but I didn’t ask further. He didn’t want to talk about this topic. I could feel that.

He behaved differently when he was with me. He was just Draco. The man I fell in love with. His cold and somehow evil behavior outside of his dormitory was not real, but I was the only one who knew that.

Sometimes I spent whole nights with him in his dormitory and had to slink back to my dorm early in the morning. At this nights we cuddled and talked and loved each other all night, but we never actually slept with each other. I was not ready to do so yet, because I was fooled by some asshole in the summer holidays when I was fiveteen. He understood.

I am going to tell you about one of those nights. One night that changed everything.

So I borrowed Harry’s invisibility cloak for „research reasons in the restricted section of the library“. Hidden under the cloak I headed to the Slytherin common room. Draco had told me the password so our secret meetings were a bit easier to manage. I headed to his dormitory and knocked three times. He opened the door and I slipped into the room and took off the cloak after he closed and locked the door.

With two long steps he was at my side and hugged me tight. He pressed his lips against mine and kissed me passionately. „I missed you.“, he mumbled against my mouth and started to lead me to his bed while kissing. We plopped onto his bed. He was now on top of me and positioned himself between my legs. His kisses got wilder and I could see something animalistic in his eyes. He looked at me with greed. His lips wandered from mine to my neck where he started to leave little violet marks. His hands slipped under my shirt where he fumbled with my bra in order to open it.

„Draco, stop it.“, I mumbled. He didn’t. There he was. The selfish and somehow evil Draco which I hated so much. „Ouch!“, he shouted as I bit his lip in order to set myself free from his selfish hands. I jumped out of the bed and to the other side of the room.

„You bit me!“, he shouted and pressed his hand against his bleeding lip. „You were about to rape me!“, I shot back. He shot me a skeptical look. „Come on, I wasn’t about to rape you, Rey. I thought you weren’t a virgin anymore?“, he said frowning.

„No I am not and that is because some asshole showed up, took my innocence and left me alone with my shame in summer holiday!“, I shouted. Draco stood up so he could face me. „And I am afraid, Draco. This relationship is still a secret after all this time. I don’t want to be your little secret! I am no toy! I don’t want to be just a _time_ _by_ _time_ _fuck_ who is there everytime when Draco Malfoy flicks a finger. I am not like _pug_ - _face_ Pansy Parkinson!“

He came closer. Then he just hugged me. „I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. You are the only one for me and you are nothing like Parkinson. Besides I never slept with her. She’s awful.“, he whispered. That elicited a slight smile from me. He just looked into my eyes and smiled back. There he was. The Draco I loved so much. The gentle and loving man I fell in love with.

„You look beautiful today.“, he said and brushed a soft kiss against my lips. I could taste his blood. „Sorry that I bit you.“, I mumbled and could feel a small chuckle in his chest. He cupped my cheeks and kissed me with more passion, but still gentle. Carefully his tongue caressed my lips asking for entrance. I granted him and our tongues began to dance around one another.

This time I took the initiative. I slipped my fingers under his shirt and tried to set him free of it. He helped me with it and soon my top lay on the floor as well. I tried to push him gently onto his bed, but he saw through my plan and quickly turned around so that he was on top of me.

He smirked and kissed me again. The softness in his eyes seemed to promise that he wouldn’t do something I didn’t want. Slowly he made his way down my upper body until he reached my jeans. It didn’t took him long until I was rid of them, too.

He faced me again and kissed me. This time not so gentle, but I didn’t care. I felt that he was hard through his pants so I hurried up in helping him out of them. He fumbled with the clasp of my bra again and I let him so that he finally could set me free of it and throw it on the floor to the other clothes.

Draco cupped my breasts and gently stroked my nipples which let me pant. He made his way down again and got rid of my briefs, too. All clothing that remained between us was his boxers which I was about to change.

Soon we were both naked and looked at each other in lust. His dick was fully aroused already. Draco placed himself between my legs and started to caress my inner thighs. „Are you sure?“, he asked uncertainly. „Just do it before I change my mind!“, I told him and giggled. He just smirked and did as commanded. So he entered my already wet inside and started to move and push gently into me.

I had to breathe heavily as I felt him fulfill me. I would’ve never thought how good this could be if it’s the right person you share this moment with. Draco started to push harder and faster. He panted into my ear as he leaned down to kiss me. He pressed his lips on mine, kissed my neck, my upper body. His hands were everywhere as he caressed my body which sent shivers down my spine. I adapted to his movements as best as I could.

When he pushed even harder and faster into me I finally reached my climax and shouted his name loudly. He let go and reached his own climax almost simultaneously.

As we were both finished he rolled off of me and to his side. Both of us sweaty and still gasping for air.

„I love you.“, Draco said breathlessly. „Draco Malfoy, did you just say you love me?“, I asked in surprise. „Yes. Yes I did. I love you.“, he repeated and smiled. „I love you, too.“, I said and smiled back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was my first time to write about sex. I have to say it was pretty awkward xD
> 
> Thanks to all of you who read this fanfic!


	8. Changes

We were in our sixth year at Hogwarts already. It was the beginning of Autumn again.  
My friends had told me that they had seen Draco at Borgin and Burkes at Diagon Alley in summer. They believed he was a Death Eater. I didn’t want to believe that, but he had changed the past few months. He still wanted to keep our relationship as a secret. He told me that he could protect me better this way. I still didn’t understand how he wanted to protect me neither from what.

Draco had changed much. Most of the nights he was the selfish Draco I hated so much. Often I found myself pressed against the wall of his dorm and when he fucked me at night he wasn’t gentle at all. When he was finished he rolled to his side and fell asleep immediately.  
I let him do so. I thought he needed to blow off steam. A lot of steam.

But then there were the other nights. Unfortunately they were pretty rare.  
In those nights he held me all night and told me how much he loved me and that he was sorry for everything. Then he was the Draco I loved so much. My Draco.  
In those nights the nightmares showed up. Then he was sweating and talking incoherently in his sleep and usually woke up screaming.

I was despairing. I wanted to help him so much, but he didn’t want to talk about it and I didn’t know what to do. So I decided for myself that it was time to confront him about it. How things were going at the moment was definitely the wrong way.

So I was walking around Hogwarts searching for my boyfriend so we could talk when I heard quiet sobs out of the boys’ bathroom on the corridor I was.  
I headed into the bathroom and found Draco sitting on the floor in a corner crying with his head on his knees. I kneeled down next to him and pulled him in a hug. I pressed his body against my chest and caressed his back gently.

Suddenly he jumped away from me.  
„Get out of here!“, he shouted.  
„Get away from me! I’m a monster!“  
I didn’t understand what he meant. What was wrong with him?  
He looked horrible. His usually properly done hair was ruffled and hung into his face. He had dark shadows under his eyes and his skin was even paler, somehow greyish, than normally.

„Draco...What are you talking about? You are not a monster.“, I said gently.  
„I want to protect you. Don’t make it so hard for me.“, he said bluntly.  
„Protect me from what?“, I asked even more confused.

He pulled up the left sleeve of his shirt and bared his dark mark to me. My eyes widened in shock.  
I looked at him, then at the mark and back to himagain. How in hell could this be?  
„I didn’t want that.“, he said quietly. Tears ran down his face.  
„I was forced to it. He..the Dark Lord is going to kill my family if I don’t do what he wants.“  
„Draco..“, I whispered barely audible.  
„He wants me to kill Dumbledore.“, Draco said even quieter.  
I didn’t know what to say, but I had to say something. I hadn’t expected something like this. ( _Or had I?_ )

„I don’t know what to do right now, but I promise I will not leave you alone. Give me time to think and I’ll find a solution.“  
„What do you want to do? I am a Death Eater and I can’t do anything against that. Nobody can defeat the Dark Lord!“  
„Draco, please. You are my everything. I love you and I’ll be by your side. Til the end. Please don’t push me away. _There’s no Rey without Draco._ “

I wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my body against his. This time he didn’t push me away.  
„I’m sorry.“, he whispered barely audible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one is a bit shorter, but I think it's still important.  
> Hope you guys like it! <3


	9. Decide!

Since our talk in the bathroom Draco was more and more the man I fell in love with again.  
Now that he didn’t have any secrets in front of me anymore, he finally could talk to me about his problems. He even didn’t need to blow off steam anymore. Our nights together were almost romantic again. He knew I was there for him when he needed me.

Shortly after Christmas Holidays Harry and Draco had a fight in the bathroom where I had found Draco a few months before. Harry followed Draco as he had one of his mental breakdowns. They fought in the bathroom until Harry used a spell he learned in his potions book. The spell was written by another student.

So Draco was brought into the hospital, because he was cut by an invisible knife ( _Sectumsempra_ ). Thanks to Professor Snape he is still alive.

At first I didn’t know what happened, but when I recognized that Draco wasn’t at the Slytherin table at dinner I asked Harry if his restlessness has something to do with Draco’s absence. Harry told me what happened and that he didn’t want to almost kill Draco. It was hard for me to not freak out on the outside and reveal our secret.

After dinner I headed to the hospital as fast as I could. Draco was currently Madame Pomfrey’s only patient. He slept. I sat down at a chair next to his bed.

„What are you doing here, dear?“, Madame Pomfrey asked as she came out of her little private room.  
„I heard what happened and wanted to look after him.“, I explained.  
„Oh, I thought Mister Malfoy doesn’t expect any visitors.“  
„I...I am his girlfriend.“, I said and smiled weakly.  
„Okay, then. He is going to wake up soon. You can stay here and wait.“, Madame Pomfrey suggested and smiled.  
„Thank you, Madame Pomfrey.“, I answered.  
„Of course, dear.“, she said before she headed back to her room.

A few hours later Draco slowly opened his eyes. I had sitten by his side the whole time. When he saw me sitting next to his bed he smiled happily, but suddenly his face petrified and he frowned.  
„What are you doing here, Rey? What if somebody sees you?“, he whispered sharply. I almost didn’t believe what I heard.  
„I don’t care if anybody sees me. You were almost dead and nobody told me, because nobody knew about me! I found out, because Harry told me what happened. Don’t you dare reproaching me for being worried about you!“ I didn’t want to shout, but his reaction did hurt me a lot.  
„But..“  
„Shut up, Malfoy. I am talking now! I don’t want this _hide and seek_ anymore. Either you stand by my side or we’re done!It’s time that you show me that you’re serious with me and finally learn that social and blood status is not everything in the world. It’s your decision.“, I grumbled and turned to leave. Halfway to the door I paused.  
„Harry shouldn’t have used a spell he didn’t know. He’s sorry about what happened.“, I said quietly and headed to the door.  
„She is a very nice girl. She sat here for hours waiting for you to wake up. I think you can be glad to have her by your side, dear.“, I heard Madame Pomfrey advising Draco while I was walking away.

I didn’t want to give him that ultimatum, but I had no choice. I just didn’t want to be his little secret anymore. It hurt too much.

____________________________________________________________________

 

Three days later Draco was finally released from the hospital. I hadn’t had talked to him since I gave him that stupid ultimatum. I regretted that. I shouldn’t have given it to him, but I was so angry about his stubbornness. Why can’t we just be a normal couple? Maybe that was just not possible with his status and his family.

The first time we saw each other again was in the Great Hall. I was standing in the aisle in the middle with Harry, Ron and Hermione. There were many other students from all the houses there.  
„There’s Malfoy.“, said Ron and pointed towards the entrance.  
„He’s coming towards our direction. What does he want?“, Hermione asked confused.

I was too afraid to turn around. Maybe he would just pass by when I pretended I wasn’t there.  
„He seems to be determined.“, Ron commented.  
„Maybe he wants to confront me about what happened in the bathroom.“, Harry said slightly frightened.

„I don’t want to talk to you about what happened, Malfoy!“, Harry said as Draco arrived.  
I was still standing with my back towards Draco’s direction. Apparently my face was showing my anxiety.  
„What’s wrong with you?“, Hermione whispered in order to not disturb Harry and Draco.  
„I don’t want to talk to you, either. I’m not here for you, Potter.“, Draco hissed.  
„I’m here for you.“, he said gently and place a hand on my shoulder so I had to turn around and face him.

He deeply looked into my eyes and gently stroked my cheek. Harry, Ron and Hermione were looking at each other in confusion.  
Draco grapped my waist and bend down to finally kiss me in front of so many students. I couldn’t believe what he was doing. _Maybe the ultimatum wasn’t such a bad idea._  
So I wrapped my arms around his neck and passionately kissed him back.

When we finally parted after a long and fond kiss, Draco pressed my body against his chest and sighed slightly.  
„I’m sorry.“, he said.  
„No, I am the one who has to apologize. I shouldn’t have given you that stupid ultimatum. That wasn’t fair.“, I answered.  
„You were right. _There’s no Draco without Rey_ , right?“, he whispered gently stroking my hair.

Followed by incredulous and confused glimpses we left the Great Hall hand in hand.


	10. Darkness

It was strange, but it worked. Our relationship. Harry, Ron and Hermione accepted Draco as my boyfriend as long as he didn’t disturb our friendship or show up at the Gryffindor common room.  
We knew that people were talking behind our backs, but we didn’t care. We could be an almost normal couple for at least a few months. We were happy.

Draco still had his mental breakdowns sometimes, but he was getting better. I tried to help him with all my strength, but I didn’t really know what to do. I didn’t know how to protect him from Voldemort and the Death Eaters. And I couldn’t stand that. He somehow changed again. I literally could feel him slipping through my fingers.

One night shortly before the end of the school year I spent at Draco’s dormitory again. We had sex and fell asleep cuddled up like everytime, but there was something different with him. Somehow he wasn’t really there with his mind.

I woke up that night, because I felt how Draco slipped out of bed. I waited until he left the room pretending to sleep. Then I slipped out of bed and into my clothes as well and follwed him carefully to not attract his attention.

He headed to the seventh floor and into the Room of Requirements. I hid behind the corner and waited observing. A few minutes later I saw Draco coming out of the Room of Requirements again. Followed by that bitch Bellatrix Lestrange and three other people in black robes. _Death Eaters_.

I followed them with more distance. I knew I was playing with my life, but I didn’t really care. Draco was more important to me at that moment.

When I arrived at the astronomy tower I hid in a dark corner and watched Draco threatening Professor Dumbledore with his wand. Dumbledore’s wand lay on the ground.  
„Forgive me Draco, but you can’t be serious about killing me in view of these weak attempts.“, said Dumbledore gently.  
„Years ago I knew a boy who made all the wrong choices. Please let me help you.“, Dumbledore tried to get through to him.  
„I don’t want your help! Don’t you understand? I have to do this! I have to kill you! Or he is going to kill me.“, Draco said quietly in the end and with fear written on his face.

Suddenly Bellatrix and the other three Death Eaters appeared at the entrance.  
„Look what we have here. Well done, Draco.“. Bellatrix said and kissed him on the neck. I almost jumped out of my hideout and attacked her for not leaving him alone. He was crying. He didn’t want to do this, but he had no choice.

„Do it!“, Bellatrix ordered. Draco didn’t react.  
„Do it! Come on, Draco! Now!“, she shouted. Draco trembled still pointing at Dumbledore with his wand.

„Draco.“, I called out and stepped into the light.  
„You don’t have to do this.“, I said gently.

With two long steps he was by my side and pulled me into his arms.  
„What are you doing here? They will kill you.“, he whispered racked with pain.  
„I couldn’t permit to loose you. I love you so much. I couldn’t allow these things to happen to you“, I said quietly with tears burning in my eyes.

„I love you, too. And that is the reason why I have to let you go. It’s too dangerous for you to be by my side and I couldn’t stand to loose you. It would literally kill me. _There’s no Draco without Rey_. Even if you’re not physically there...it’s more important that I know that you are safe. _Alive_. I just mustn’t be selfish at this point.“, he said gently stroking my cheeks. Tears running down his face.  
He bend down to kiss me one last time. The kiss was so short, but he lay all his passion and love in it.

„How sweet. Is that your girlfriend, Draco? Apparently no pureblood.“, Bellatrix said scornfully.  
„The Dark Lord will not be pleased to hear about that, Draco. Better finish it now.“, she added smirking nastily and pointed at me with her wand.  
„ _Avada_...“  
„Run!! _Stuperfy_!“, Draco shouted and stunned Bellatrix.

I ran. I ran leaving Draco behind. I wasn’t running for my life. I ran to stay alive, but I left my life behind. Running and leaving him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well guys, shit it getting dark and deep, but I promise it will get better soon.  
> I finished the fanfic already and I promise there still are a few chapters ahead plus alternative ending which is much darker than the original one. The dark side is welcoming me :D


	11. Betrayal!

Albus Dumbledore was dead. Professor Snape had killed him after Draco failed to do so. The war was going on. There were dark times upon the world of wizardry. Voldemort was on his rise and many people had to flee and hide.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were on our journey to find and destroy the horcruxes so that Voldemort could finally be defeated. I hadn’t seen Draco since Dumbledore’s death. I didn’t know what happened to him. Didn’t know if he was still alive. It had nearly killed me to leave him behind all these months ago and to not know what they had done to him.

Unfortunately Harry, Ron, Hermione and I were caught by some Snatchers who brought us to Malfoy Manor. So I would find out what happened to Draco earlier than thought.

„Well?“, Bellatrix asked as she was pulling Harry’s head back by his hair so that Draco could see his face.  
„I can’t be sure“, Draco said helplessly.  
„Draco, you must be sure.“, Lucius Malfoy said and pulled Draco gently by the neck.  
„If we are the ones to hand Potter over to the Dark Lord...erverything will be forgiven, a-all will be as it was.“, he said quietly.

„Don’t be shy, Sweetie. Come over.“, Bellatrix asked Draco in order to identify Harry, whose face had been disfigured by a spell from Hermione shortly before we were caught.  
„If this isn’t Potter and we call _him_ , Draco, he’ll kill us all. We need to be absolutely sure.“  
„What’s wrong with his face?“, asked Draco as he kneeled down in front of Harry.

„Yes, what’s wrong with his face?“, Bellatrix said half amused.  
„Maybe something he picked up in the forest.“, one of the Snatchers commented.  
„Or ran into a stinging jinx. Was it you, dear?“, Bellatrix asked pointing at Hermione.  
„Give me her wand! We’ll see what her last spell was.“, she ordered as she slowly walked up to Hermione who was detained by one of the Snatchers like Harry, Ron and me.  
„Got you!“, Bellatrix laughed as she found out she was right.

Suddenly she paused in her movements.  
„What’s that?“, she asked slightly panicked pointing at the sword of Godric Gryffindor which one of the Snatchers held in his hands.  
„Where did you get that from?“, she added hissing.  
„It was in their bag. Think it’s mine now.“, he explained grinning stupidly.

Bellatrix attacked him in order to get the sword and defeated the other Snatchers who tried to help their friend. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I jumped to the wall and out of her reach. My eyes darted to Draco as I saw he did the same. Looking at me.  
„I’m sorry.“, he said inaudible forming the words with his lips.

„Cissy, put the boys in the cellar!“, Bellatrix ordered after scaring away the left Snatchers.  
Narcissa grabbed Ron and Harry and handed them to Wormtail who was waiting at the stairway.  
„I’d like to have a conversation with this one. _Girl to girl_.“, Bellatrix said threatening as she faced Hermione.  
„Draco, you’ll look after the _little redhead_. Let’s see if you have learned.“

I had thought she had forgotten about me or at least hadn’t recognised me.  
Draco grabbed me by my arm roughly and pulled me across the hall to another door where he pushed me into a little and dark chamber and closed the door behind himself.

„What have they done to you, Draco?“, I asked frightened.  
„I am the one who asks the questions!“, he shouted.  
I heard Hermione’s bloodcurdling scream from outside the chamber.  
„What is she doing to her?!“, I shouted panicking.  
„Shut up!“, Draco screamed and pulled me close at my collar. The look he gave me let something die inside of me. I didn’t recognize him as the man I fell in love with.

Suddenly I felt something hard hitting my cheekbone. I stumbled backwards and fell on the ground gasping for air. My left cheek was hot as I touched it slightly. I couldn’t believe that Draco would do something like that, but here I was. Sitting on the ground beaten up by the man I loved so much.  
„Who are you?“, I hissed slowly and glared at him disdainfully and shocked at the same time.

And Draco hit me again. I felt tears running down my face and tasted blood in my mouth. Blood was dripping from my lower lip and chin. I resisted the urge to sob and I resisted the urge to scream. I just didn’t want to give him this _honour_. Didn’t want to let him _win_.

So I just lay on the ground and waited until he was done. I refused to look at him as he grabbed me up from the ground and brought me out of the room.  
„Well done, Draco. Well done.“, said Bellatrix as she left Hermione on the floor in order to face Draco. He didn’t say anything. His face was petrified. _Tensed_.  
„Put her to the boys.“, she ordered sharply and I felt myself being pulled down the stairway and pushed into the cellar.

„You. Goblin. Come with me.“, said Wormtail who had brought me down here. He went back upstairs and took the Goblin with.

I couldn’t longer resist the urge to cry. I collapsed on the ground and sobbed and cried like I never had before. Nearly every part of my body hurt, but the worst hurting part was my heart.  
„What happened to you?“, asked Harry as he hugged me in order to calm me down.  
„You look horrible. Who did that to you?“, asked Ron as he kneeled down beside me, too.  
„That doesn’t matter. We have to get out of here.“, I answered elusively.

Suddenly Dobby apparated in the centre of the cellar.  
„Dobby? What are you doing here?“, asked Harry.  
„Dobby has come to rescue Harry Potter, of course. Dobby will always be there for Harry Potter.“, Dobby explained himself.  
„Okay, take Luna and Mister Ollivander to Shell Cottage in Tinworth, Cornwall.“, said Ron.  
Dobby took the hands of Luna Lovegood and Mister Ollivander in his own and disapparated with them after telling us to meet him at the stairway in ten seconds.

Suddenly we heard steps outside of the cellar. Wormtail came to look after us. Apparently he had heard the noises from the cellar. He opened the door and Dobby stunned him from upstairs.  
Harry took Wormtail’s wand and then we slinked upstairs and into the hall.  
Hermione was lying on the floor crying quietly and Bellatrix was torturing the Goblin asking him who stole the sword of Godric Gryffindor from her vault at Gringotts.

„ _Expelliarmus_!“, shouted Ron against Bellatrix as she headed back to Hermione.  
„ _Stuperfy_!“, screamed Harry and stunned Lucius.  
„Stop!“, shouted Bellatrix as the three of us where fighting against Draco and Narcissa. She was holding a dagger against Hermione’s throat.  
„Drop your wands!“, she ordered and we did. Draco picked them up.

„Well, well, well. Look who we’ve here.“, said Bellatrix.  
„It’s Harry Potter.“, she whispered in Hermione’s ear.  
„Just in time for the Dark Lord.“, she added.  
„Call him, Draco!“, Bellatrix ordered and smirked wickedly. Draco did nothing. He just stared at her, but he didn’t do anything.  
„Call him!“, Bellatrix repeated. No reaction from Draco.

Lucius pulled up his left sleeve and just when he was about to call Voldemort, Dobby let the chandelier drop from the roof.  
Hermione used her chance to push Bellatrix away and ran towards us. Harry snatched our wands from Draco as everyone jumped out of reach of the giant chandelier.

Harry stunned Lucius as he was about to stop us.  
„Stupid elf!You were going to kill me!“, Bellatrix muttered.  
„Dobby never meant to kill! Dobby only meant to seriously injure!“, Dobby explained as if this was necessary. Then he disarmed Narcissa as she was about to attack us and catched her wand.  
„Dare you take a witches wand! Dare you defy your masters!“, Bellatrix shouted.  
„Dobby has no master! Dobby is a free elf! And Dobby has come to safe Harry Potter and his friends!“, Dobby shouted back and with these words he let us all take his hands and disapparated together with the four of us and the Goblin to Shell Cottage.

So I left the man I loved behind again. Well, apparently he wasn’t the man I loved anymore.


	12. Reunion

The battle of Hogwarts was going on. The final battle of the war. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I had arrived at Hogwarts a few hours ago and Voldemort had ordered his Death Eaters to attack Hogwarts when he heard that Harry was there. There were great losses on both sides.

I somehow managed to loose my friends in the crowd so that I was wandering around the school in order to find them.

I was running down a dark and quiet corridor. It was way too quiet.  
Suddenly a Death Eater appeared in front of me.  
„ _Expelliarmus_!“, he shouted and my wand landed in his hand. I stumbled backwards and fell on my backside. He walked towards me slowly and threatening while pointing his wand at me.

I knew this was the end. I closed my eyes. Ready for my fate. I saw a green lightning bolt through my eyelids. Then I opened my eyes. The Death Eater was lying on the ground in front of me. _Dead_.  
My wand had fallen out of his hand so I grabbed it quickly and stood up only to find myself face to face with Draco Malfoy.

My eyes widened. I couldn’t believe what he did. He slowly walked towards me.  
I stumbled backwards and fell again, but this time I had my wand. I pointed it at Draco.  
„Stop! Don’t come closer!“, I shouted in a shaky voice and with fear written in my face. Yes, I was afraid of him. Afraid of the man I loved so much only a few months ago.

He came closer though and I pointed my wand at him with more energy. He moved further.  
I let my arm sink. Tears running down my face. I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t hurt him.  
He kneeled down beside me and pulled me into a hug. What was wrong with him? A few months ago he had beaten me up and treaten me like a bag of shit and now he was hugging me like his life depended on me?

„I’m sorry, Rey.“, he whispered. I turned around to face him. Tears where running down his face, too.  
„I had to beat you. Don’t you understand? They would’ve killed you. I had to beat you to...to save your life. I couldn’t live with the knowledge that you are no longer wandering around on this planet and I had the chance to prevent that. Even if that meant I had to hurt you and me, too.“  
His words just made me cry harder.  
„I didn’t want to be a Death Eater and you know that. I was forced to obey the Dark Lord. He would’ve killed my family, but that doesn’t matter anymore. You are more important to me than them. It’s time for me to finally make the right choices.“, he said gently stroking my cheeks.

I looked into his eyes and could recognise the man I fell in love with again. _My Draco_. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down in order to press my lips against his. His hands moved to my waist and he passionately kissed me back. It was such a good feeling to kiss him and just be with him after all this time. I felt something inside me somehow rise from the dead.

„I’m so sorry.“, he mumbled against my mouth. I parted from him and sighed.  
„Just shut up and kiss me, okay?“, I said smirking. He stood up and helped me to do so, too.  
„I love you, Rey Hale.“, he said smirking back.  
„I love you, Draco Malfoy.“, I answered and kissed him again.

„Let’s go beat up some Death Eaters.“, Draco joked and winked as he offered his arm to me.  
„So who needs their ass kicked now?!“ I shouted through the empty corridor as I took Draco’s arm and we headed back to the Great Hall together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promised things will get better ;)


	13. Hope

We lost so many people. _Friends, family._ Fred was dead. Remus and Tonks, too. Followed by many others.

Voldemort had given us one hour. One hour to take care of the injured persons. One hour to collect the dead. One hour to hand Harry Potter to him. After Harry had found out that he was the last horcrux, he was on his way to hand out himself to Voldemort so that Voldemort could finally be defeated. He chose the death in order to safe us all.

Draco and I were sitting in the Great Hall with the others. Waiting for whatever. No one knew.  
Suddenly we saw Voldemort and his entourage slowly walking towards Hogwarts. _Towards_ _us_.

As they came closer I could see Hagrid who was tied up. He walked slowly with the Death Eaters crying and carrying Harry’s body.  
„We won! We won! We won!“, shouted Bellatrix who was jumping and dancing playfully as she walked next to Voldemort.  
„Harry Potter is dead!“, announced Voldemort loud enough for everyone to hear as they arrived across the court. The Death Eaters gathered behind him. So did the survivors of the good on the opposite side of the court.

„No! No!“, screamed Ginny running towards Hagrid, but Arthur held her back.  
„Silence! Stupid girl! Harry Potter is dead. From this day forth, you put your faith in me.“, said Voldemort and turned to his followers.  
„Harry Potter is dead! And now is the time to declare yourself. Come forward and join us or die.“

Nobody moved. Draco’s father started to call over him. He just stood next to me and did nothing but taking my hand. Then his mother started to call over him, as well. He looked down. I felt the strain in his body. He looked at me.  
„Go.“, I whispered. I knew I had to let him go. We had no future. We didn’t belong together. Our backrounds were just too different.  
He hesitated, but then he went. And I let him go with tears burning in my eyes.  
„Well done, Draco. Well done.“, said Voldemort and hugged him awkwardly before letting him go to his parents.

Suddenly Neville started to move towards Voldemort.  
„Well, I must say I had hoped for better.“, said Voldemort and his followers started to laugh.  
„And who might you be, young man?“, he asked.  
„Neville Longbottom.“, Neville said slightly frightened.  
„Well, Neville I’m sure we can find a place for you in our ranks.“, said Voldemort slightly amused.  
„I’d like to say something.“, announced Neville.  
„Well, Neville I’m sure we’d all be fascinated to hear what you have to say.“, gave Voldemort the right to speak to him.

„It doesn’t matter that Harry is gone.“  
„Stand down, Neville.“, hissed Seamus Finnigan, one of the formerly students of our year.  
„People die everyday! Friends, family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight. But he’s still with us. In here.“, continued Neville and pointed to his heart as he turned to speak to us.  
„So is Fred and Remus, Tonks. All of them. They didn’t die in vain.“, he said turning to Voldemort.  
„But you will! Because you’re wrong! Harry’s heart did beat for us. For all of us!“  
„And it’s not over!“, Neville screamed and pulled the sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat he had been carrying. At the same time Harry jumped out of Hagrid’s arms. _He was alive!_

„Potter!“, screamed Draco and ran towards Harry throwing him his wand so that he could defend himself. Then he ran towards me.  
„Did you really think I’d leave you alone? I’d prefer that over you?“, he asked pointing to the Death Eaters. Then he gave me a quick kiss and we headed into the Great Hall to fight the final battle of the Second Wizarding War. _Side by side._

______________________________________________________________________

 

So we fought. Fought for the good. We lost each other in the crowd, but that wasn’t so important. I trusted in Draco and I knew he wouldn’t change sides again. Besides it would have been hard to concentrate on both. Draco and myself.

Suddenly I saw him standing a few metres away from me. _Disarmed_. A Death Eater threatening him. I ran as fast as I could. Curses flying around my head.  
„ _Crucio_!“, I shouted pointing at the Death Eater. The man sank on his knees and fell on the ground screaming and bending in pain.  
„Take your hands away from my boyfriend, you filthy ferret! _Stuperfy_!“, I shouted in anger taking his pain away and stunning him at once. I picked up Draco’s wand ( _well, it was not his, because he had given his wand to Harry before_ ) and handed it to him. He just stared at me with wide eyes.  
„What?“, I asked slightly amused..  
„Marry me.“, he said smirking stupidly, but determined though.  
„What?“, I asked in disbelief. I was the one with widened eyes now.

Draco just raised his hand and pointed with his wand at me. I stared at him in shock. What the hell was he going to do?  
„ _Avada_ _Kedavra_!“, he shouted. The curse whizzed barely past my ear.  
„What’s wrong with you?! Are you mad?!“, I started to scream at Draco. The fact that he was just smirking stupidly made me even angrier.  
„Turn around.“, he said grinning. I did. On the floor lay a Death Eater whose body still was in gesture to attack me. I sighed.  
„I think you should learn to trust me at least a bit. There was no time to pull you aside.“, Draco whispered in my ear. I just grinned at him apologetic and we both turned to fight on.


	14. In The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry it took me so long to update, but I had finals which are finished now. Lucky me ;)  
> To make amends I'll upload two chapters at once. Hope you guys like them!

The war was over. The good side had won. Harry was finally able to kill Voldemort after Neville had killed Nagini, Voldemort’s snake, with the sword of Gryffindor. The last horcrux.  
Harry hadn’t actually killed Voldemort. Voldemort’s spell had rebounded when Harry had tried to disarm him. Molly had killed Bellatrix Lestrange. The survived Death Eaters had fled like Draco’s parents had done before the final battle in the Great Hall.

While everyone settled down in the Great Hall taking care of the injured survivors and celebrating our victory, I went to the astronomy tower. I needed time for myself. Time to think.  
I only had standed there a few minutes wandering my view over the destroyed Hogwarts when I heard steps behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was.

„I knew I’d find you here.“, Draco said softly.  
„You can see almost the whole castle from here.“, I answered without turning around.  
„Nearly...nearly everything is destroyed.“, I whispered sadly. He wrapped his arms around my waist hugging me from behind.  
„They’re going to rebuild it. You’ll see.“, he answered and kissed my cheek. I sighed.

„I love you, Draco.“, I said quietly.  
„I love you, too.“, he whispered into my ear.  
„And I meant what I said during the battle.“, he added. I turned around and looked at him in confusion. He smirked and said nothing.

Then he kneeled down on his right knee and pulled a little box out of his pocket. My eyes widened in surprise.  
„Draco, what are you doing?“, I asked panicking.  
„You don’t have to think about it as an engagement, if you don’t want to. Just think about it as a promise. I know we’re actually too young, but I know that you are the only one for me and there will never be another woman. _There’s no Draco without Rey_ , remember?“

I said nothing. Just stared at him in surprise. So he took a deep breath.  
„Elizabeth Rey Hale, will you marry me?“  
My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t expect that. To be honest, just a few hours before I had expected to never see Draco Malfoy again. At least never talk to him again. And now he was kneeling in front of me asking me to become his wife. _Mrs Malfoy_.  
A wide and happy smile grew on my face.  
„I will.“, I said shortly.

His face mirrored my smile as he put the ring on my finger and stood up to kiss me long and passionate.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

We went back to the Great Hall.  
„Give me a minute.“, I said as I saw my three best friends standing on the stone bridge.  
„I’ll be waiting here.“, Draco accepted. I nodded and headed to Harry, Ron and Hermione.

„Why didn’t it work for him, the Elder wand?“, asked Hermione as I arrived at the bridge.  
„It answered to somebody else. When he killed Snape, he thought the wand would become his. But the thing is, the wand never belonged to Snape. It was Draco who disarmed Dumbledore that night in the Astronomy Tower. From that moment on, the wand answered to him. Until the other night, when I disarmed Draco. At Malfoy Manor.“, explained Harry.  
„So that means..“, tried Ron to conclude.  
„It’s mine.“, said Harry shrugging.  
„What shall we do with it?“, asked Ron impressed.  
„We?“, I asked Ron further.  
„Just saying, that’s the Elder Wand. The most powerful wand in the world. With that, we’d be invincible.“, said Ron shrugging, too.

Suddenly Harry took the wand in his two hands and broke it in two pieces which he threw over the edge of the bridge. Ron, Hermione and I watched him in disbelief. Harry just turned around and smiled.

„Draco doesn’t have to stay away like that.“, said Hermione pointing at Draco who still waited at the court in front of the Great Hall.  
„He’s your boyfriend and we have to accept that, Rey.“, added Hermione.  
„That’s nice of you. You will see, he’s not that bad.“, I said grinning at my friends.  
„Maybe.“, Harry grinned back as I waved at Draco in order to show him that he could join us. He understood.

When Draco arrived Hermione went towards him and hugged him. He froze in his movements in surprise, but then he hugged her back slightly.  
„I think that belongs to you.“, said Harry handing Draco his old hawthorn wand.  
„Thanks, Potter.“, Draco answered and the two of them smirked at each other slightly.

„What are you going to do now?“, I asked my friends.  
„I think I’ll take care of the house at Grimmauld Place 12. Somehow it’s mine now, I think. Maybe I can renovate it and move in with Ginny somedays.“, answered Harry.  
„I don’t know. I obliterated the memories of my parents so they won’t recognise me, but I think I’ll try to get their memories back somehow.“, said Hermione with a sigh.  
„You can come to the Burrow with me if it doesn’t work. I think my parents wouldn’t mind one resident more.“, Ron suggested. Hermione smiled in happiness.  
„Thank you, Ron.“, she said and kissed him on the cheek while he reddened slightly. Then we hugged each other before Harry, Ron and Hermione disapparated to their different destinations.

„Well, I think your friends aren’t that bad.“, said Draco looking at his new _old_ wand.  
„Not even that _mud_...muggleborn.“, he added correcting himself.  
„Her name is Hermione, by the way.“, I said chuckling. At least he tried.

I wrapped my arms around his waist and kissed him on the neck.  
„Would you like to see my _almost-normal-muggle-life_?“, I asked smirking.  
„I’d love to.“, he said and smirked back before we disapparated to my little suburban hometown.


	15. Epilogue

„Ready?“, my Father asks smiling as he offers his arm to me.  
„Ready.“, I say after taking a deep breath.  
„I am so proud of you, Rey. And I love you so much. Don’t forget that you’ll ever be my little angel and our home will always be your home.“, he says as I grap his arm.  
„I love you, too, Daddy. And I hope that I will never have to come back.“, I say chuckling.

„I wish Mum could be here.“, I add with a sad expression. Suddenly I feel tears burning behind my eye lids. My dad sighs and looks into my eyes sadly.  
„I know, Sweetie. We all wish she could be here. She would be so proud and I think the luckiest woman in the world to see you growing up and even marrying before your brother.“, he says in order to brighten up my mood.  
„She’ll always be with you, Rey. In here.“, he adds pointing at my heart. His words are like balm for my soul.  
„Thanks, Dad.“, I say quietly before we head to the beautifully decorated marquee in the garden of the Burrow where the wedding takes place.

Well, a lot of persuasiveness was neccessary to convince Draco about this location for our wedding. He wanted to get married at Malfoy Manor where we both live together with his mother since his father is imprisoned in Azkaban. Lucius had not been happy with Draco’s decision to marry me. A Gryffindor and furthermore a _halfblood_ and _blood-traitor_ in his eyes, but he had to accept the decision of his son. I know Narcissa wasn’t happy with the engagement, too, but at least she tried to be a lovely mother-in-law. Even if it was faked.

Lucius Malfoy had been arrested and brought to Azkaban a few weeks after the battle of Hogwarts. Draco and his mother had to show up at the Ministry of Magic in London, too, but luckily they were acquitted in all charges.  
Even Draco’s Dark Mark disappeared from his left forearm leaving a bunch of scars that were even paler than his skin.

The summer after the battle, when Hogwarts was rebuilt, all students who were in their seventh year during the war ( _so in our year_ ) received an invitation to come back to Hogwarts for their eight year to finally graduate. Hermione and I accepted the invitation with gratefulness while Harry and Ron refused to do so. They started to work at the Ministry alongside the new Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt.

The fact that Draco accepted the invitation and went back to Hogwarts with us had surprised me in a very lovely way. I think my three best friends and Draco will never be friends, but at least they accept and respect each other.

It’s summer again now and Draco and I are finally going to get married at the age of 19.  
I am getting a bit nervous as my dad and I are walking down the aisle and straight to the front. The guests stood up the moment they saw us arrive at the entrance. I think most of the guests are my family and friends, because many people from Draco’s milieu refused to support such a wedding. Besides the Malfoy’s lost a lot of their prestige.

Draco is standing at the front looking as handsome as always wearing his wedding suit. A wide smile spreads on his face as he watches me walking down the aisle with my dad. I can’t do different than smiling back at him. Suddenly the nervousness falls off like a piece of dirty clothes. I know I am going to do the right thing. I am going to marry the love of my life.

„Take care of her.“, my Father says as he hands me to Draco gently putting our hands together.  
„I promise.“, Draco answers still smiling at me. My dad pats his shoulder paternally and turns to his seat in the front row.  
„You look beautiful“, Draco says and kisses my cheek while we are turning to Kingsley Shacklebolt, the Minister of Magic himself, who is going to lead through the ceremony.

„Today we have gathered together to unite these two young people to the covenant of marriage.“, says Kingsley in order to start the ceremony.  
„Please read out your wedding vows.“, he says with his gaze wandering between Draco and me.

Draco is the first to do so.  
„Rey, I love you so much and I couldn’t await the day to finally make you my wife since I first kissed you on the stairway of Hogwarts. Our relationship was difficult from the beginning. We had to hide it and lie about it until I finally got the balls to show everyone that you are the one I love. We were separated during the war and I just can say that I missed you so much I almost started to count the days until I saw you again. And then the day was there. You were standing there at the Manor with all your beauty and strength. It literally was like a punch in the face to me. I betrayed you and lied to you and made a lot of wrong decisions which I do regret more than everything. But you know that I have done this for only one reason. To protect you. Because I knew otherwise they had killed you. I think it’s a miracle that you even have taken me back. I am the luckiest man alive having you by my side as my wife and the future mother of my children. I don’t know how I deserve such a big amount of luck, but one thing I know for sure. _There’s no Draco without Rey_. I love you.“ The last words come out as a whisper so that only I can hear them. I am so touched by his words that tears slowly start to make their ways down my face.

Then it’s my turn.  
„How can I do better than that?“, I say under tears causing the audience to laugh quietly.  
„Draco, you know we naturally hated each other until we were forced to go to the Yule Ball together by Professor McGonagall in our fourth grade. At this point, thanks professor. I was shocked when you kissed me that night. I had never thought of the idea to kiss Draco Malfoy someday in my life, but the kiss made me think of you and our relationship and somehow I fell in love with you step by step. Without noticing until you kissed me again. It took more than a year until we finally made our relationship public and from this day on it was even more complicated. We had to fight for it especially during the war. I have to admit that I thought we had lost it. I thought I had lost you and it barely killed me. I didn’t understand what you did and why you did it the moment you did it, but in the end it was clear to me. In the end I had my Draco back. In the end I forgave you, because I understood you had no choice. _There’s no Rey without Draco_. I love you.“

„Please exchange your wedding rings.“, orders Kingsley and we follow his request immediately as my brother Arejay brings the rings to the front.  
„Watch over her.“, he says patting Draco’s back brotherly before turning back to his seat.

I quickly let my gaze wander through the audience. I see my stepmom Nathalie crying and my dad caressing her back while watching us so proudly it makes me smile even brighter.  
Hermione is crying, too, while Harry and Ron are watching the ceremony with mixed expressions. Ron at least tries to smile while Harry gives me a thumps-up and winks.

„Do you, Elizabeth Rey Hale, want to marry Draco Malfoy? Take him as your husband, love him and honor him until death seperates you?“, asks Kingsley with his gaze at me.  
„I do.“, I answer smiling at Draco.  
„And do you, Draco Malfoy, want to marry Elizabeth Rey Hale? Take her as your wife, love her and honor her until death seperates you?“, asks Kingley with his gaze at Draco.  
„I do.“, answers Draco smiling back at me.

„With my duties as the Minister of Magic, I declare you two as husband and wife. You may kiss your bride now.“, continues Kingsley and looks at Draco who doesn’t let him ask twice.  
He gently graps my waist and pulls me close before pressing his lips on mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him back with all the passion and love I can give.  
„I love you so much.“, he mumbles against my mouth before kissing me again. The audience stands up and cheers.

I think I am the luckiest woman in the world. We had to fight so hard, but in the end we won. In the end we can just be us and love each other like we always wanted to. It’s simple: _There’s no one without the other_.

 

(P.S. Four years after the marriage we’ll get our first child. Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. Scorpius will have my red hair and Draco’s silver eyes. Three years after the birth of Scorpius we’ll have our second child. A girl. Sofia Julie Malfoy, mostly called Jules. She’ll have Draco’s platinum hair, but with my gentle curls and my big green-brown eyes. Jules will go to Hogwarts together with Rose Weasley, the youngest daughter of Hermione and Ron, and Albus Potter, the youngest son of Harry and Ginny. Scorpius was sorted into Gryffindor while Jules was sorted into Slytherin.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is not the end. Well, basically it's the end of the story, but there will be an alternative ending which is much darker than this. It came to my mind when I had already finished this, but I don't want to withhold anything to you.


	16. Alternative Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this is the end. My work is done here.  
> I want to thank everyone who took the time to read this story and I hope you guys liked it.
> 
> As promised, the alternative ending. Have fun!

It was almost ten years since I had seen Draco Malfoy for the last time. We wanted to get married when we were 18, but _his family_ happened. It was only a few month after the battle at Hogwarts. On the day of our marriage his father appeared and pulled him away from me. Apparated with him and sperated us again.

I’ve never seen him again since that day. So the supposed best day of my life became the worst day of my life. All I got from him was a letter in which he explained that we couldn’t see each other and couldn’t marry, because his family was going to kill him or, even worse, me in case we did so. He wrote that he loved me and wanted to protect me. He wrote that he was forced to marry Astoria Greengrass. As answer, I sent him the ring he had given me at the atronomy tower back. Without words. I was too hurt. I didn’t understand why we just couldn’t be lucky. Why was it always me to have such a bad luck?

Sometimes I had suicidal thoughts, but I couldn’t give Lucius that pleasure. My life seemed to get more difficult with each day. I was a human wreck. Living in the streets of London and sometimes staying at the houses of Harry and Ginny or Hermione and Ron for a night or two. They didn’t want to let me go, but I couldn’t stay longer. I was too ashamed.

When I was lucky I earned enough money with street music so that I could rent a room for a night or two. If not, I had to stay on the streets. I couldn’t get much sleep at night anyways. Too much nightmares.

I was thankful when George offered me the job at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes. He offered me to stay at his and Angelina’s flat for a few weeks which I accepted, because I had enough of sleeping on the streets of London. Actually he offered me to stay in _Fred’s room_ , but I refused and settled on their couch.

The nightmares got even bader, though. Nightmares of the war. Of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. Of Draco. Of Lucius pulling him away from me. Even nightmares of the death of my mother.  
It was horrible seeing her dead body in my arms every night again. We were walking on the sidewalk holding hands the day after Christmas Eve when I was six. Suddenly I felt something cold and metallic against my palm. As I looked up my mother was gone. At her place stood a big car which moved on and drove away quickly. It all happened so fast I couldn’t even remember the colour of the car. All I can remember was that my mum lay on the sidewalk a few metres away with her limbs spread from her body awkwardly. She breathed heavily and unsteady as I held her in my arms.  
„Watch over the family...litle princess.“, Mum pressed out under pain and struggle. Then the love and joy that were always hers disappeared from her eyes. The light of her eyes died and so did she.  
I was only six and I saw how the life exited my Mother’s body. The ambulance couldn’t do anything for her as they arrived soon after. That’s how she died.

Several nights I woke up screaming and crying with George and Angelina trying to calm me down. Those mental breakdowns became a habit and I felt so sorry for the two of them, because they took care of me with all their energy and I couldn’t give them anything in return.

They still didn’t let me go. The weeks of settling on their couch turned into months. I think they were too worried thinking of me living alone. I think they were scared that I would kill myself. I could be lucky that I had them. They gave me the love I needed to not loose myself completely. Somehow they replaced my family. I couldn’t go back to my actual family. I knew they would welcome me back with open arms, but it was too embarrassing for me.

I was a mess. I lost way too much weight. I had always been thin, but not _that_ thin. My skin was much paler than it had ever been. Somehow greyish. My hair was dull and damaged. It had grown way too long and I couldn’t remember when I was at the barber for the last time, but I didn’t care. Most of the time I put my hair together in a loose bun and hid it under the hood of my jacket. I had dyed the lower part in several blue and black shades.

But the worst part of my fucked up life were the depressions. When I had no nightmares I wasn’t sleeping at all, but crying all night and hurting myself while scratching my back and waist until I was bleeding. It was the only way I could calm myself down even if it left several scars.

So now I was almost 28, worked part time at George’s shop and settled at his couch at night struggling with my fucked up life. I was not even a shadow of the woman I once was anymore. I even wasn’t able to produce a patronus anymore.

Then there was the day that changed everything. The day I saw _him_.  
I worked at the shop putting new items in the shelves. George didn’t let me work with the customers, because of my barely present social abilities. My social anxieties thanked him for it.

„Angelina, do you know where George wants me to put these new items?“, I called from the back of the store heading to the front where Angelina was serving the customers.  
Then I saw _him_. I froze in my movement. He was standing near the entrance. Platinum blonde hair. Silver eyes. Wearing a black suit and carrying a toddler of maybe two or three years. We stared at each other with widened eyes. He looked nearly exactly as he did almost ten years ago. Just a little bit more grown-up and with a little bit darker shadows under his eyes.  
„Nevermind.“, I said with a quick glance to Angelina and turned back to my shelves as fast as I could without running. I felt tears burning behind my eyelids so I tried to blink them away which failed miserably.

„Rey!“, I heard someone calling behind me. I would’ve recognised _his_ voice among millions. It chased me in my dreams.  
„Leave me alone!“, I said in a rough voice before heading into the storeroom and closing the door behind me. There I sank on the ground crying like a little girl.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

It took three days until I saw him again. He waited for me outside of the store at closing time.  
„What do you want, Malfoy?“, I hissed at the man I once loved so much. The man who destroyed my life.  
„Talk to me, please. I’m sorry.“, he said quietly.  
„Oh, you are sorry? So you come here after almost ten years and just tell me that you’re sorry and everything is alright? Fuck off, Malfoy! I am a mess, a human wreck! And you are a married man so just go back to your family and live your happy life! Just leave me alone with my fucked up life!“, I shouted and turned to walk away, but he grapped my wrist.

„Rey, please. Give me a chance. I just want to explain a few things to you.“, he said quietly.  
„You will not give up, won’t you?“  
„No, I won’t.“  
I sighed.  
„Okay. I give you one chance. Tommorow evening at 7.30 at the Leaky Cauldron. You have thirty minutes and if you are late or don’t show up I’ll be gone and your chance is lost. I’ll wait exactly five minutes.“

___________________________________________________________________

 

The next day I was a bit nervous all day. I couldn’t really concentrate on my work. I was thinking about meeting Draco in the evening. So after work I went to the Leaky Cauldron and chose a table in a dark corner.  
„What can I do for you, dear?“, asked the waitress, an elderly woman in a grey pinny.  
„Firewhiskey.“ I said shortly.  
„I’ll take the same.“, said a familiar voice. It was Draco. He sat down next to me as the waitress nodded and walked away. There was nothing but silence between us.

„So do you just want to sit here in silence for the next thirty minutes?“, I asked without looking at him.  
„No, but I have to find the right words. Won’t you take off your hood?“, he responded quietly.  
„No, I won’t.“, I said roughly.  
When our drinks arrived I downed it and ordered another.  
„Your time is running.“, I said coldly. He took a deep breath.

„I want to apologize. I feel like the biggest asshole in the world. What I did to you was horrible. You didn’t deserve that, but you have to understand that I wanted to protect you. They would’ve killed you and that would’ve killed me. _There’s no Draco without Rey_ , remember?“, he started to explain himself.

„You are the one who proved that _there is_ as you gave up on us. _How is your family_?“, I interrupted him hissing the last sentence sarcastically.  
„Astoria left me about one year ago. I don’t know where she is. She left me alone with our son, Scorpius. He is almost three. I don’t care about her. I never loved her anyways.“  
I hadn’t expected that. I looked at him incredolously and even felt a bit sorry for him.

„I thought I would never see you again. I thought I had lost you forever, but then you were there standing at Weasley’s store where Scorpius led me. When I saw you standing there, I forgot everything around me. It was like a punch in the face which made me open my eyes. I saw everything I had done wrong. Every wrong choice. And everything we had. I never stopped loving you over all those years. All the time you were the only woman for me and the fact that I couldn’t have you by my side nearly killed me. Everytime I slept with Astoria I imagined it was you. I even hoped Scorpius would have red hair and I am glad that he looks like me and not like her. I missed you so much. The only thing that kept me alive was the fact that you were safe from my family. Safe from my father. I was empty without you. I often stood on the balcony in sleepless nights staring at the stars imagining you doing the same wherever you were. There was no day I didn’t think of you. The thoughts on you gave me the strenght to live on. Everytime somebody visited the Manor, I hoped it was you. Everytime I saw a flicker of red hair in public, I hoped it was you. But it never was. I thought I had to move on and forget you, but I couldn’t. You can’t just forget the love of your life. When Astoria left me I even was a bit glad about it. It meant I was free and didn’t have to pretend to be a loving husband anymore. She knew I never loved her. She didn’t love me either. The wedding was arranged by our families to keep our _pureblood status_ , but I don’t care about blood status anymore and you know that. You are the one I want. You are the only one for me and you always were. I know I can’t rewind what I’ve done to you, but please, give me one last chance. Come back to me. I can’t live without you anymore.“

„What about your family?“, I asked tears running down my face. His words were like balm for my broken soul. I was empty without him, too. I knew I needed him. My fucked up life was the proof for the fact that I couldn’t live without him.  
„I don’t care about them. My father finally had been brought to Azkaban a few months ago and my mother drowns her sorrow in firewhiskey since that day. She’s a good grandmother for Scorpius, but locks herself up in her room immediately after he is asleep. She’s nothing like the strong woman she once was anymore. I promise, I will never leave you alone again. I will fight for us and I will fight as long as it’s necessary, because it’s the only right thing to do. The past ten years have shown that neither of us can live without the other. Please give me one last chance. I love you and I never stopped loving you.“

His words made my heart melt. I had to cry even more. Finally after almost ten years he was here. The man I fell in love with almost fiveteen years ago. The man I never stopped loving. And he begged for me to come back to him. I knew the only thing I had to do was listen to my heart.

Draco tried to whipe my tears away as he pulled me close. I could feel the heat of his body again, smell his warm breath again. _It still smelled like peppermint_. And then, when our lips finally met each other again after all these years, it felt like a thousand chains falling from my heart. It felt like the cure my soul was longing for all these years. I forgot everything around me. The kiss was like a firework. Passionate and hungry and full of love.

Within the kiss Draco pulled the hood of my jacket off of my head and pulled my hairband out of my hair so that it fell loosely down my back. He slid his hands into my hair and played gently with several strands of it.  
„Come home with me.“, he panted as he parted from me.  
„Home?“, I asked raising one eyebrow.

„I have something that belongs to you.“, he said pulling something out of his pocket and handing it to me. I stared at my hand. It was the ring he gave me at the astronomy tower all those years ago. The ring I had sent him back after our seperation.  
„I am carrying it with me since you sent it back. You are the right Mrs Malfoy and you should have been the mother of my children. Would you please give me a second chance and marry me?“  
As answer, I put the ring at my finger. At the place where it belonged.

Draco just smiled happily and grapped my waist to pull me even closer and kiss me again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and slid my hands into his hair like I did so often all those years ago.  
The feeling of his soft hair between my fingers filled me with joy and I had to smile against Draco’s mouth.  
„I love you.“, he said as he parted from me and pressed his forehead against mine.  
„I love you.“, I said.  
„Let’s go home.“, he whispered and kissed my forehead.

___________________________________________________________________

 

So we paid the drinks and went back to the flat above George’s store where I grapped my things and sticked a little note on the kitchen wall. _‘Thank you. For everything.’_ were the words I wrote to George and Angelina who weren’t at home.

Then we went out and apparated to Malfoy Manor. Meanwhile it was late in the evening. Careful to not wake up Scorpius or Narcissa we went to Draco’s bedroom. The dark corridors and the size of the manor was new for me and I thought getting used to it would take a while.

After Draco had carried my bags in his room and closed the door he faced me and looked at me with his stupid smirk. It was still the same smirk I loved so much. His gaze stuck on my lips.  
„What?“, I asked smiling slightly.  
„You are still so beautiful I’m getting goosebumps just by looking at you.“, he said gently and pulled me close starting to kiss my neck and collarbone.

„Wait.“, I said setting myself free from his embrace.  
„Did I hurt you?“, he asked with an apologetic expression on his face.  
„No. That’s not the problem. It’s just..uuhm..I think I’m...kind of...anxious.“, I said quietly.  
„What’s wrong, Rey?“, he asked looking at me in confusion. I sighed.  
„You don’t know what I had to go through in the past ten years, Draco.“  
„That’s right. I don’t know, but I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.“

„That’s the problem. I can’t find the right words. I think I’ll have to show you“, I said and pulled my shirt up uncovering the scars and fresh wounds on my back and waist. Draco swallowed. His gaze wandering between my back and my face.  
„I’m not beautiful, Draco. I’m broken.“

Suddenly he pulled me close again and lead me in front of the mirror in the room. He removed my shirt and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind me.  
„To me you are the most beautiful und impressive woman in the world. You had so much to go through in your life and still you are here. You are a fighter. I’ll help you to go through this, too. I am here for you now and I will never leave you alone again. Maybe a little something to eat wouldn’t be bad.“, he said teasingly smirking and stroking my ribs. I turned around and hit him slightly against his chest before I unbuttoned and removed his shirt, too.

He kneeled down in front of me unzipping my jeans and pulling it down my legs while giving me a desirous and kind of hungry gaze. He slid his fingers into my panties and started to gently stroke my cleft causing slick moisture spreading over my pulsating flesh. He rubbed my clit with his tumb leaving me panting. Then he pulled my panties down, too.

When the tip of his tongue slipped between my wet folds, I swallowed hard and slid my hands into his hair holding slightly onto him for balance.  
„Draco, d-don’t you dare ever stop d-doing that.“, I moaned as he tongued my throbbing clit. He caught the little rosebud between his lips sucking on it gently. That was all I needed. I reached my climax and cried out his name in my ecstasy.

When he looked up, his mouth and chin wet with my juices, his face showed his stupid smirk I fell in love with all those years ago. With one deft movement he got rid of my bra while bouncing on his feet. He hugged me tightly and I felt his heavy erection pressed against my body.

I dropped on my knees in front of him quickly unzipping his trousers and pulling it down.  
„Good evening, old friend.“, I said as I peeled off his boxers of his hips earning a quiet chuckle from him. Wrapping my fingers around his hard shaft, I brushed my lips around the tip wetting it with the drops of lust which gathered at the slit. I took him into my mouth and started to suck at him gently. Draco swallowed hard barely able to stand straight.

„I want you inside me. Now.“, I whispered with a final kiss on his tip. Draco just nodded in silent agreement and pushed me gently to his bed as I stood up. We plopped onto the sheets and he placed himself between my thighs. He cupped my breast and sucked at one nipple while he rolled the other one between his fingers gently until I started to gasp and moan.

He opened my legs even wider with his hands before he pushed inside me and finally fulfilled me again after such a long time.  
„I missed you so much.“, he groaned as he pulled out and pushed inside me again and again. Quickly we found our old and loved rhythm again leaving both of us panting and moaning each others names. With increasing ecstasy Draco pushed harder and faster gasping into my ear with a deep growl growing in his chest.

One last push from Draco and I lost it. I closed my eyes and started to quiver underneath Draco as I reached my second climax that night while moaning his name loudly and piercing my fingertips into his back. I saw in Draco’s eyes that he lost control at this point. He tossed his head back and growled and moaned while shooting his juice inside me before collapsing onto my body. I could feel his heartbeat race as he breathed fast and heavy against my neck.

I caressed his wet back as his heartbeat slowed down to normal. He lay on me as sweaty and breathlessly as I was, too.  
„Gosh, how I’ve missed that.“, Draco gasped into my ear causing me to chuckle slightly.  
„I love you.“, he said while rolling off of me.  
„I love you, too.“, I said wrapping my arms around his neck in order to kiss him.

____________________________________________________________________

 

In summer we finally got married. Naricssa accepted me as the new woman at Draco’s side and Scorpius accepted me, too. He even started to call me "Mum" after a few months. I tried to be the mother he needed after Astoria had abandoned him. Lucius had reacted as expected when he heard about the marriage, but he had no say in this matter anymore and while imprisoned in Azkaban he couldn’t do anything against it anyways.

Three years after the marriage we got our first child together. It was a girl with my red and curly hair and Draco’s silver eyes. We named her Sofia Julie, but she was called Jules by most of the people. I had adopted Scorpius so I was his lawful mother. I was glad that he didn’t look like Astoria at all. That made it easier for me.

Scorpius went to Hogwarts together with Rose Weasley, the youngest daughter of Hermione and Ron, and Albus Potter, the youngest son of Harry and Ginny. Jules went to Hogwarts three years after them. Scorpius was sorted into Slytherin while Jules was sorted into Gryffindor.

In the end and with Draco’s help I was able to stick my life back together. I gained weight and went to the barber and contacted my friends and family again. In the end everthing was fine.

In the end we had each other. It’s simple: _There’s no one without the other._


End file.
